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Times Advocate, 1991-07-31, Page 19JARMIJPDATF Times -Advocate, July 31 1991 Page 19 Government releases report, claims farm income to Improve in -'91 OTTAWA - Canadian farm in- comes are expected to increase in 1991, due to lower operating ex- penses, the implementation of new safety net programs (GRIP and N1SA) and the Farm Support and Adjustment Measure (FSAM) tran- sition program, claim Agriculture Canada. The announcement was made last week by Ministry economists who released their second-quarter agri- culture outlook for 1991. The re- vised farm income projections were prepared in consultation with provincial ministries of agriculture and Statistics Canada. Realized net income for 1991 is forecast to increase by eight per- cent to $3.20 billion nationally, fol- lowing a decline of 28 percent in 1990. Forecast increases in pro- gram payments offsetting lower market receipts, combined with lower operating expenses, are the main factors in the forecast in - crease for fann incomes. Regionally, a significant increase in related net income is forecast for Manitoba (29%). British Columbia (21%), Saskatchewan (11%) and Ontario (11%). Higher income prospects for British Columbia are the result of expected returns to more normal levels of production for fruits and vegetables, combined with an improvement in prices and larger provincial program pay- ments. For Manitoba, the increase in realized net income is attribut- able to lower operating expenses, combined with higher cash re- ceiRts. The substantial amount of 1990 Special Income Support Pro- gram payments made this year and expected GRIP/NISA payments more than offset lower crop re- ceipts. Moderate increases are forecast for Newfoundland (5%), Nova Scotia (2%), Quebec (4%) and Al- berta (5%). Significant declines are expected in Prince Edward Island (20%) and New Brunswick (18%), due in part to less favorabk pros- pects for potato prices. Market receipts are forecast to decline two percent form the 1990 level. Less favorable price pros- pects for grains, oilseeds and pota- Shearing demonstration - While family and friends looked on, Glenn Paine of Kerwood demonstrated sheep shearing at the Zurich Fair. This Finn sheep is one of three brought to the fair by Donald Dear- ing of Exeter . • HENSALL LIVESTOCK SALES LTD. Attention Fellow Cattlemen: It is with deep regret that I have decided to DISCONTINUE OUR WEEKLY SLAUGHTER CATTLE SALES ON THURSDAYS, due to de- creasing numbers. As we all know we've experi- • :enced some dramatic changes in the past two years. We have seen the closure of several large meat packers therefore making, it harder to market cattle with the smaller packers. I will continue to serve my livestock customers by commissioning fat cattle and order buying stockers and feeders ' The ANNUAL STOCKER SALES iN THE FALL AND SPRING WILL ALSO r CONTINUE. Our WEEKLY HOG ASSEMBLYiNG YARD will remain open on Tuesdays. As well the RESTAURANT WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR BUSINESS Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Owner Manager: Barry Miller 235-2717 or 229-6205 Sales Barn 262-2831 Combines to fit small budgets Shopping for a combine to fit your needs and budget can be a frustrating experience. We can help! No other dealer knows combines like we do. Our reputation is built on it. Paul Van Oss, Sales Rep., Res: 235.3147 We have many combines and platforms to choose from at low !trance rates with convenient payment plans Examples: MF 850 + heads as low as $4733.00 S.A.* JD 6620 + flex head as low as $5439.00 S.A.* *payment semi annual with 30% down payment Remember, we always start your combine off In the field and our parts and service departments will support you many years after the sale. If that sounds like a good deal... let's talk UHUR o OfNSales Department RExeter 235-1115 ill 1-800-265-4220 Old-timers around this country will remember the scare tactics used by Senator Joe McCarthy in the 1950s. He had Americans believing that there was a Communist behind every bush on 'the White House lawn. He would stand up in the House Un-American Activities Committee and shout that the FBI, for instance, had 54 known Com- munist sympathizers working as agents. He had the entire 'world buffa- loed. Thousands of careers suf- fered. Men and women were fired because they were tainted with the red brush. It took a brave and cou- rageous journalist like Edward R. Murrow to reveal that McCarthy was a big bag of wind. It seems to me that is what farm- ers need today to fend off the extre- mists in the animal rights move- ment. Agriculture has made some strides through the work of the On- tario Farm Animal Council, a group doing its best to educate the public. A recent booklet called Food for Thought has been published by the council and it is available to any- one. But agriculture has a tough job. At one time, more than 50 percent of the population had a direct inter- est in farming. Not so today. Only about three or four -percent of the population is directly engaged in farming and they are busy people. They haven't got time to dispel the myths, to argue about the way farm animals arc used, althougha few farmers I know have taken the time to address service clubs and explaii -their operation. It is this grassroots -style of communicating that will, I believe, help all of agri- culture in years to come. The farm animal council can get directly involved in many ai2as. Members can battle some of the fa- natics who arc admittedly out to stop the use of farm animals for anything. They want the whole world to be vegetarians. They do not want cows to be milked. They want chickens to go back to the wild. They want hogs to roam free. They even suggest that dogs and cats kept as pets are not serv- ing the use that God intended them. As for using any kind of animal for scientific experiments, that's a no -no. I am an animal -lover, too, friends. I am like most farmers. They, too, are animal lovers or they would not be farmers. They_ realize that healthy, happy, un- stressed animals produce more milk, put on pounds faster and eas- ier, lay more eggs and produce healthier litters than stressed -out stock. It is to the farmer's advan- tage to keep animals.' healthy and happy. If you listen to the radical ani- mal rightists, you will come away with the opinion that laying hens are so crowded in their wire cages, they do not have room to turn around. Yet, they are fed a better - balanced diet than most children. They are in clean cages because the refuse goes through to a trough under the cages. The radicals will tell you that veal calves are kept in a narrow stall, unable to lie down and kept in the dark and fed only milk so that the "white" meat will prevail. In fact, the veal calves I have seen are fed excellent diets in roomy stalls with lots of bedding. The fanatics deplore what ex- perts say is good husbandry in the raising or using of farm animals. I do not waht to tar all animal' rightists with this fanatic label. Some are sincere and will listen to reason. But there is that fanatic fringe which could make it difficult and even impractical for honest farm- ers to make a living. Those are the people to watch. Huron farmers meeting in Clinton to discuss their future CLINTON - Will agriculture continue to be the dominant indus- try in Huron County in years to come? If so, what shape will it take as it meets the demands of the 1990s and the next century? Those questions and more will be addressed at a special meeting in the Clinton Town Hall Thursday evening. The meeting, open to all members of Huron's farm commu- nity, is part of the overall Huron County Study which aims to put the entire region's future into some kind of perspective. The study will include several meetings, some with the general public, four with council members, and some with special focus groups, of which the agricultural meeting is one. As other industries, such as man- ufacturing, the service industry, and tourism increase in importance in the County, agriculture will have to fight hard to keep its domi- nance. "Although agriculture continues to produce a fair amount ofd- uct in Huron County, it continues to do it with fewer and fewer peo- ple," explained Gary Davidson in the Huron Planning and Develop- ment department. Thursday's meeting will help de- termine what needs those people left in agriculture will have. "We're seeing what they can do to help," said Davidson. "Economies change," said David- son, who termed agriculture as part of the area's "old economy" Much of the new job develop- ment in the County will be in other sectors, predicted Davidson, most of it going to women. "It doesn't mean they're (farmers) not important - they're just not a source of new jobs," he added. One possibility for future eco- nomic development is the attempt to attract agriculture -related indus- try to the County. Despite the fact that Huron produces more agricul- tural products than any othcr county in Ontario, much of the food processing, machinery manu- facture, and agricultural research and testing is done elsewhere in the province. Davidson said some of his depart- ment's research has shown many in the farm community -take a pessi- mistic view of their future. "They may say there isn't a future for agriculture in Huron," said Dav- idson. "There's quite a bit of pessi- mism out there." The meeting will be held at the Clinton Town Hall, Thursday eve- ning at 8 p.m. toes are key factors. Crop receipts arc expected to decline five percent to $8.1 billion, while livestock re- ceipts should remain stable at $11.1 billion. Total program payments includ- ing input rebates are forecast at $2.7 billion, while livestock re- ceipts should amain stabler at $11.1 billion. Total program payments induct- ing input rebates are forecast at $2.7 billion, an increase of 17 per- cent over the 1990 level. Much of the increase is'directed at the grain and oilseed sector where incomes• remain well below historical levels. Operating expenses and deprecia- tion charges are expected to drop by one percent to $18.5 billion. Lower interest rates and purchases feed prices are the major factors in the decline. Farm cash receipts • Total farm cash receipts for 1991 are expected to remain at the 1990 level of $21.5 billion as a re- sult of higher program payments offsetting lower crop receipts with stable livestock receipts. • In Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, farm cash receipts are forecast to drop by 5-6 percent due to expected declines in potato receipts. • In British Columbia, cash re- ceipts are expected to increase by three percent due to higher horti- cultural production and improved prices. • Total program payments, in- cluding input rebates, are forecast at $2.7 billion, up 17 percent as a result of substantial payments un- der the new safety net programs to- gether with the Farm Support and Adjustment Measures program (FSAM) and under Western Granis Stabilization Act (WGSA). Crop receipts • Crop receipts are forecast to drop by five percent, primarily due to lower grain and oisleed receipts. • Potato receipts are expected to decrease significantly in the east due to weak prices, while in the west, potato receipts are forecast to increase due to higher prices and marketings. uryA Littie Residue r • A • ..s New model 445 Conservation Chisel Plow _ leaves as little or as much residue as you want based on your residue plans. IN Rippled coulters and chisel points at 15" spacing leave more residue. • Disc coulters and twisted shovels at 12" spacing leave less residue. • Optional deep -till shanks till an extra 4-6" deeper than chisel shanks to reduce com- paction problems and rip hardpan. • Optional soil leveling bar provides a smoother secondary tillage pass. • Choose one of nine models from 7' to 23' working width. (19', 21' and 23' models fold flat). • Ask your dealer about special low -rate financing. Visit your White dealer or call 1-800-767-3221 for a free color brochure. MBA BY WHITE -NEW IDEA • ii Sales & Service Phone(519)236-4934 Fax (519) ..: 22. Main .Street, E., :Zurich Attention Farmers Crop Tour W.G. Thompson & Sons Hensall Branch would like to invite you to join us for a crop tour of White Beans, Soybeans, and Corn, plus various Fertilizer and Chemical programs. Your spouses are also invited to join us for the day if they wish. Following the tour a barbecue will be served for all that are interested. Please call us at 26-2527 by August 5, for meal preparation and buses DATE; Monday, August 12 TIME: Tour - 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. BBQ - 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. PLACE: W.G. Thompson & Sons Limited - Hensall The Hensall staff would like to say thank you for your patronage. 1